Community Asset Mapping Project

COMMUNITY ASSET MAPPING PROJECT: WYCALLIS ELEMENTARY
Community Asset Mapping Project:

Wycallis Elementary School
Dana Ramalho
The University of Scranton
Abstract
Wycallis Elementary School is a school in the state of Pennsylvania. It resides in
the Dallas District from grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Wycallis Elementary
should fill in some key gaps in the areas of Academic and Personal/Social components
for student development. The Career component is severely lacking with no available
resources internally or externally. Wycallis needs to have continuous improvement. They
need to constantly seek and plan new ways to improve the system. This is by providing
resources in Tiers one, two, and three. This project contains demographics of the school,
a needs assessment, list of available resources, a critical analysis, list of external untapped
resources or ideas, and a conclusion.
Needs Assessment
School Information
Wycallis Elementary School is a school in the state of Pennsylvania. It resides in
the Dallas District from grades kindergarten through fifth grade. It is a Title 1 school with
five hundred and thirty students. It is 94% white, 2.08% Hispanic, and 1.08% Asian.
Other ethnicities under 1% include Multi-Racial and African American. There is no
percent of gifted students listed under the schools performance profile and the counselor
of Wycallis Elementary never mentioned it. This hints that the school does not have a
gifted program or much of one. 15% of the students are economically disadvantaged,
10% are in special education, and 0.19% is English Language Learners. Overall, the
school is predominantly white, middle to upper class, and in a safe area.
The average educational experience of all of the teachers is about eleven years
and the school academic performance is advanced at 92.6%. Every academic score is
between 100% and 84%. The only problem is that Reading and Literature shows no
growth at 59%. The counselor of Wycallis Elementary School is Mrs. C Baron and the
second school in the district is right down the street called Dallas Elementary School with
a school counselor named Mrs. Betsy Jerome (PA Performance Profile, 2014).
Wycalliss Dallas District Mission Statement is To educated and develop each student,
within a safe and supportive environment, to his or her fullest potential academically,
socially, physically, emotionally, and culturally in order to become a responsible,
respectful, and productive member of American and global society (Dallas School
District, 2015).
Conclusions
Looking at Wycallis Elementary School Demographics, there strongly needs to be

the development of a comprehensive gifted program. This can allow students, who are
excelling, to still have a challenge and work on their growth. Since the school is a mostly
white and upper middle class school, it would be wise to have a program on culture so
that they can further their awareness of the multicultural differences in society. It would,
also, benefit them to have a comprehensive career program that could allow the students
to picture their future and come up with ideas of their interests. Since they are mostly
upper middle class, most of their parents probably expect them to go to college. The 15%
or 79 students who are economically disadvantaged could benefit from the career support
and motivation to succeed for their future.
The 10% of special education is very low compared to most schools and would
indicate a need for more testing because there may be some students who fly under the
radar. There should also be a volunteer tutoring program that could help all students grow
in reading and literature, as well as, other subjects. This could benefit the one student
who is an English language learner, as well as, the other students that may be struggling
to grow. Overall, the Wycallis Elementary School is a very good school that needs to
expand in areas of Academic or Personal/ Social and start to develop a Career Component
for student development (PA Performance Profile, 2014).
Overview and Description of Existing Resources in Wycallis
Academic Internal Assets
Curriculum Resources- (Tier 1)
The Wycallis School Website has resource links for learning at the home
online. They are in science, spelling, and math.
Elementary AR Reading Program- (Tier 1)
A program to motivate and monitor all students in their reading. Recommends

books to the children based on their interests and can give tests at the end.
Teachers can log on and evaluate their reading progress.
AR Log In- (Tier 1)
A program for testing during the school day. It is all on the computer.
Policy Handbook-(Tier 1)
A handbook with all of the school policies for the school year. Deals with
correct school behavior, school rules in the classroom, and laws. Every
student signs off on the handbook, to make sure that all rules are understood.
Student Profile of Awareness checklists- (Tier 1)
A checklist made by every teacher in every grade to make sure that the
students meet the standards of that grade level. It is done once a year. It is
signed off and sent out to parents or reviewed during parent/teacher
conferences.
School Book Finder- (Tier 2)
An online program for finding books in the Wycallis and Dallas School
Libraries. Can also find out when a book is due in the library.
Tutoring (Tier 2)
Tutoring for students who are struggling in math and reading only. Students
can come in before school starts to get free tutoring from their teachers on two
days of the week.
Pamphlets and Brochures- (Tier 3)
The school provides brochures and pamphlets for individual interests. They
are available for students and parents. Examples of academic information
include testing, effective studying, and tutoring resources on the Internet.
Reading Specialist-(Tier 3)
A specialist on the school faculty whose job is to help certain students with
reading issues or under performance.
Speech Specialist- (Tier 3)
A specialist on the school faculty whose job is to help certain students with
problems with speech or learning good speech.
Academic External Assets
The Dallas Foundation- (Tier 1)
Provides funding to the Wycallis Elementary School. Such as tools and extra
classroom items. This includes projectors and smart boards but, not school
supplies for students.
Curriculum Guide (Tier 1)
A curriculum guide for parents and students that explains their childrens
entire academic schedule for their grade level.
Tutoring- Sylvan Learning Center- (Tier 2)
Multiple tutoring centers for all types of school subjects in Nepa. Usually
costs money from the parents of the students who go.
MIED- (Tier 2)
A community building that deals with remediation and enrichment in reading,

math, English, and study skills.
Club Z- (Tier 2)
An in home tutoring company that deals with many school subjects. Usually
costs money from the parents of the students who will go.
Luzerne Intermediate Unit- (Tier 3)
Goes into the schools in the Dallas District to Collaborate, coordinate, and
ensure education for students who need help, such as TSS workers or
occupational therapy.
Career Internal Assets
None
Career External Assets
None
Personal/Social Internal Assets
Crisis Team-(Tier 1)
Team only meets in the summer to go over school crisis and the plan for the
school year.
Classroom Guidance Lessons- (Tier 1)
Classroom guidance lessons for all grades within the school. Topics are on
character building, self-knowledge and acceptance, friendship skills, decision
making, school success, interpersonal relationships, and bullying.
Nurse-(Tier 2)
This nurse office is an offices with faculty members that deals with mild
medical issues for students. This includes being sent home for sickness and
calling parents.
Free and reduced lunch-(Tier 2)
Free or discounted lunch for the students who cannot afford it and
economically disadvantaged.
Cafeteria Pre-paid System-(Tier 2)
A system that allows the students to pay for their food for days or weeks in
advance.
Clubs-(Tier 2)
Art club makes arts and crafts after school and the Environmental Club cleans
up the school at the end of the school day.
Groups- (Tier 2)
Fourth Girls Program- talks about self-esteem, girl problems, and pulls out of
class. Friendship Groups- for kids in the same grade to meet new friends and
practice social skills in a small group and usually meet over lunchtime. Social
Skills Small Group- for kids who need help with social skills like listening,
following directions, behaviors, anger management, interrupting, and
identifying feelings. All groups are based on teacher recommendations and
parental permission.
Peer Helping-(Tier 2)
Collaborating and coordinating to train older students to help younger students

and have a buddy system.
Pamphlets and brochures- (Tier 3)
Pamphlets and brochures for individual students personal interest on

emotional well being, mental health, being healthy, sleep, and on sickness. Is
in the nurses office and counseling office for parents and students.
Newcomer orientation day-(Tier 3)
Allows a new student to walk around the school and get to know their
environment. They get to meet teachers, meet kids, and play at recess or eat
lunch with other students. Parents can come in for the day to support and meet
the staff.
Individual Student Counseling-(Tier 3)
The counselor does one-on-one counseling with students who need help with
personal matters, everyday issues, crisis, or behavioral issues.
Personal/Social External Assets
Policy Handbook-(Tier 1)
A handbook with all of the school policies for the school year. Deals with
correct school behavior and laws. Every student signs off on the handbook, to
make sure that all rules are understood.
PTO- (Tier 1)
A parent and teacher organization. To help improve the welfare of Wycallis

Elementary Students. Reaches out to the community to help with their projects
for improving the school and welfare for the students.
Safety Team- (Tier 1)
10
The safety team goes to all of the schools in the district to make sure that the
buildings and faculties are safe. Was just started this year and they go twice a
year to the schools.
School Twitter Page-(Tier 1)

The twitter page posts updates of what is happening in school. It posts
weather announcements for Wycallis Elementary and Dallas Elementary.
Resources for Parents- (Tier 2)
Is online with links to bullying, divorce, studying, grief, health issues, school
issues, character building, military, parenting, special needs, and explaining
death to children.
RTI Team- (Tier 2)
Response to intervention team that meets during the year, deals with crisis
during the year or any interventions. May need to reach out to police, hospital,
and firefighters for help during crisis. Deals with kids behavioral problems
during the year also.
SAP Team- (Tier 2)
Student assistance programs that is a team during the year. Involves

community services like external mental health agencies and counselors,
hospital, police, information on food stamps, and getting necessities for the
economically disadvantaged.
Unless Project with the Philadelphia Zoo- (Tier 2)
Students have the opportunity to help build a website and gain awareness for
the Philadelphia Zoo and commit to recycle for the environment.
11
Community: Childrens Behavioral Health-(Tier 3)
Is a behavioral healthcare system for students who need extra help outside of
the schools resources or limits.
Childrens Service Center of Wyoming County- (Tier 3)
Is a Behavioral healthcare system for students who need extra help outside of
the schools resources or limits.
Luzerne County Children and Youth Services- (Tier 3)
A community organization that deals with protecting and serving the needs of
families within the community. Deals with abuse and neglect.
Milestones- (Tier 3)
Is a behavioral healthcare system for students who need extra help outside of
the schools resources of limits.
(Wycallis Elementary School, 2015).
Critical Analysis
Career Component
The Wycallis Elementary School has many internal resources in Academic and
Personal/Social areas of student development, but they are severely lacking in the area of
Career Development. There are absolutely no resources internally or externally in the
Career component of development. This means there is, also, no Tier one, two, or three
for the students. The Career Component needs to be started internally and externally of
the school. This is so that all of the young students can start thinking about their future
and interests. They need to have awareness of future job opportunities.
Personal and Social Component
12
Personal/ Social development has many areas of resources externally and

internally of the school but, it is lacking in a few key areas. They do not have a bullying
prevention program, a culture awareness program, any athletic programs, or multiple
clubs in all different subjects. They could use these gaps to branch out into the
community more, instead of using the community for referring to behavioral programs or
gaining parental help. They could use more of their Personal/Social development to cater
to the individual growth of each student and to expand their awareness of society.
Wycallis has taken many steps to build in internal Personal/Social development
such as safety, behavioral intervention, and group or individual counseling, but they are
still lacking in a few key areas. They have a balance of Tier one, two, and three but have
key developmental gaps internally of the school. They have many external resources such
as parent and teacher collaboration, the use of behavioral systems, and the use of crisis
systems in the community. Therefore, they should naturally extend more broadly by
including volunteers, building an athletics program, and multiple clubs. Extending help
from other community members can do all of this.
Academic Component
The Academic Component of Wycallis Elementary has many internal resources
but, not many external programs. Most of their external programs involve tutoring, TSS
workers, extra classroom funding, and curriculum guides for parents of the students.
More external programs that could be a benefit to the school could be finding a company
that can provide school supplies for the 79 students who are economically disadvantaged.
Another program that could benefit the school is a volunteer program that could come
into the school to teach students on all subjects with an emphasis on reading and
13
literature. A last program that could be extended externally is building a gifted program.
Students could get a challenge and recognition through the community.
Internally, Academics do pretty well in Wycallis Elementary but they lack in one
key subject for the students. They do not have any resources in the subject of history.
Even though history is not tested on for the state exams, it is still a key subject that
should be addressed. It is noticed that they spend about thirty minutes a day or sometimes
once a week on history. Providing a community resource to come into the school could
allow the students to still work on their skills in the subject.
Conclusions and Implications
Overall, Wycallis Elementary has a lot of key parts in the Personal/Social and
Academic areas already started. They just have to extend themselves to fill in the small
gaps that they have. The Tiers all seem balanced out for the school, but they need to fill in
the gaps that allow the students to miss out on key subjects of their personal and
academic education. The Career component needs a lot of work Internally and Externally.
They show that they havent considered any steps to include awareness of career and are
severely lacking. The career area needs a lot of work so that students may benefit from it.
Wycallis Elementary School is doing well but, seems to forget about the minority
of students who are economically disadvantaged or fly under the radar for a gifted
program. Wycallis Elementary is doing well right now but, could fall behind in the future
if they dont fill in their gaps fast. They would benefit by tapping into the volunteer
community when they cannot be funded for certain programs to exist.
Addressing Identified needs and Untapped Community Resources
Academic External
14
Presentations by Faculty of History Museums-(Tier 2)
Since there is not many classes on History or resources on the school website,
students may benefit by learning about History from museums near the
community. The Dallas District does not have museums but they could pay for
transportation of faculty from museums around Scranton. This includes the
Everhart Museum and Anthracite Heritage Museum.
Gifted Program Model-(Tier 2)
A Gifted Program Model within the school that is similar to Dallas

Elementarys gifted program. Could extend into the community by using the
media to recognize the new gifted student members. All types of companies
near or within the Dallas School District could provide jobs and goals for the
gifted students to work on as a whole. The goals or jobs could be coordinated
into their school subjects. This would provide a challenge, the students would
learn more, and give the students an opportunity to help the community.
Community Volunteer Program for Tutoring-(Tier 2)
Reaching out to the community to come into the school and help students in
all subjects during the school day and a few hours after school. Emphasis will
be on reading and literature. Can reach out to local senior centers, parents, and
colleges such as Misericordia University and Luzerne Community College.
School Supplies for Economically Disadvantaged-(Tier 2)
Can gain extra school supplies for the students who are economically
disadvantaged by putting tip jars in all local gas stations and starting donation
boxes around the community. May be able to ask the local Staples and
15
Walmart in Dallas PA to donate clearance items such as backpacks, pencils,

notebooks, and more.
Career External
Career Program Model-(Tier 1)
Providing a career program for every class, once a year, that teaches about
interests and hobbies, future goals, college or vocational talents, and future
jobs. Can bring in parents from the community and community members that
would like to teach about their jobs. Can bring in bosses from nearby
companies, businesses, hospitals, police sheriffs, chefs, and more.
High school Volunteer Program for Career Exploring-(Tier 1)
A program that brings in local high school students to help tutor students who
need help in all subjects after school. The high school students can get service
hours and the Wycallis students can learn. Local high schools include the
Dallas High School and Lake Lehman Junior-Senior High School.
Personal/Social External
Culture Awareness Fair (Tier 1)
Having a cultural fair on the school grounds that could bring awareness to all
cultures. Look to the community and extend to outside the community to
bring in other cultures. This is for all students to become aware of the different
cultures in the United States. This includes different types of foods, different
types of hobbies like cricket, rugby, and dancing. There could also be cultural
music and instruments. The school could ask for help from the Scranton
Cultural Center.
16
OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Program-(Tier 1)
Bringing in the Dallas Elementary School Faculty to conduct a day of a

bullying prevention program that proves to be successful at Dallas Elementary
School. They can bring in faculty until the Wycallis Elementary faculty is
trained in the program. The program teaches about bullying, how to prevent it,
and four anti-bullying rules.
Athletics Program-(Tier 2)
Reaching out to local gyms, parents interested in athletics, and athletic

companies to help build after school athletic programs. They could teach the
basics or beginnings of sports. This includes basketball, baseball, soccer,
hockey, football, tennis, dance, cheerleading, and drama. Can look and
collaborate with local Dallas High School and Middle School Programs.
Multiple Clubs in different subjects- (Tier 2)
Wycallis has started a club in art and environmental science but, would benefit
from other subjects. This includes videogame club, science club, poetry club,
sports club, drama club, chorus, and band. They could take programming help
from the Local Dallas Middle School and High School. Can also get help from
local gyms and community volunteers.
Conclusion
If the school took advantage of these untapped resources and ideas from above,
they would fill in their gaps and be a complete comprehensive school. They would have
multiple resources to use inside their community and within the school system. They
would have all sections of Academic, Career, and Personal/Social covered so that all of
17
the students could grow to be well-rounded community members of society. There would
be no gaps between the different types of students and everyone would have the
opportunity to succeed. The school needs to have continuous improvement. They need to
constantly seek and plan new ways to improve the system (American School Counseling
Association, 2012).
18
Works Cited
American School Counseling Association. (2012). ASCA National Model: A Framework
For School Counseling Programs (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCA.
Dallas School District. (2015). Dallas School District. Retrieved April 10, 2015, from
www.dallassd.com website: http://www.dallassd.com/
PA School Performance Profile. (2014). Wycallis Elementary School (2013-2014).
Retrieved April 12, 2015, from PA School Performance Profile website:
http://paschoolperformance.org/Profile/5874
Wycallis Elementary School. (2015). Wycallis Elementary School. Retrieved April 12,
2015, from www.dallassd.com website: http://www.dallassd.com/

Community Asset Mapping Project

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Descrizione originale:

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Community Asset Mapping Project

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

COMMUNITY ASSET MAPPING PROJECT: WYCALLIS ELEMENTARY